Glacier Disaster: Swiss Village of Blatten Buried Under Massive Collapse

A catastrophic glacier collapse has devastated the village of Blatten in Valais canton, with one person missing and extensive damage to infrastructure. Emergency services continue monitoring flood risks.

Key Takeaways

A massive section of the Birch Glacier collapsed on Wednesday at 3:30pm
The collapse caused a 3.1 magnitude earthquake
90% of Blatten village was submerged by mud, ice, and rock
A 64-year-old local man is reported missing

By The Numbers

300

residents evacuated

2 kilometers

length of debris deposit

They Said

"It was one of the largest mass movements ever recorded"
— ETH Zurich experts

Catastrophic Glacier Collapse

Emergency Response

Impact Assessment

Ongoing Risks

Sources & References

Further villages in Swiss landslide area avoid damage for now

SWI swissinfo.ch

Glacier collapses burying large parts of Swiss village Blatten

SWI swissinfo.ch

Situation in Swiss landslide valley remains unstable

SWI swissinfo.ch

Key Takeaways

A massive section of the Birch Glacier collapsed on Wednesday at 3:30pm
The collapse caused a 3.1 magnitude earthquake
90% of Blatten village was submerged by mud, ice, and rock
A 64-year-old local man is reported missing

By The Numbers

300

residents evacuated

2 kilometers

length of debris deposit

They Said

"It was one of the largest mass movements ever recorded"
— ETH Zurich experts

Filed Under

natural disaster emergency Valais Switzerland breaking news

Filed Under

natural disaster emergency Valais Switzerland breaking news

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